The horror scene directed by a child
Throughout the 1990s, horror cinema experienced a downgrade from the innovations of the preceding decade. I Know What You Did Last Summer, which tells the story of four friends who become stalked by a masked killer one year after accidentally running somebody over, is a modestly entertaining addition to the fatigued oeuvre.
A good cast, rock-solid thrills and a clever twist ending just about make up for a clichéd, mediocre script, and as such, it’s more bearable than a number of horror films from that particular decade, which was arguably the all-time worst period for the genre. Alongside Wes Craven’s first two Scream movies, I Know What You Did Last Summer revived the slasher subgenre, which had been good as dead for years, and was followed up by two critically panned sequels. As of 2023, a legacy sequel featuring the surviving original characters alongside a new, younger cast is apparently in development, although word has been quiet on it lately.
One of the most memorable scenes in the 1997 original is when protagonist Julie (Love Hewitt) drives along in her car. She hears a noise in the trunk, so she stops to investigate. And then she discovers… a rotting dead body covered in live crabs.
But it doesn’t end there. When Julie tries to show her friends what happened, the body has vanished. Julie then endures the reality of a breakdown, screaming, “What are you waiting for?!” to the killer, who may or may not be lurking nearby.
It’s a compelling scene that’s become one of the most iconic parts of the movie, aided by Scary Movie‘s hilarious parody of this moment. Interestingly, the origin of the segment can be linked to the unlikeliest of sources.
The movie’s creators held a contest, with the prize being the opportunity to come on set and contribute to the narrative. The young child who won the contest came up with this scene, and although Love-Hewitt admitted that she wasn’t sure about it at the time, it was ultimately a very successful inclusion. Apparently, Love-Hewitt is often asked to repeat the line on Halloween.
The kid who created this scene has remained anonymous, but whoever and wherever the mysterious creative visionary is, it’s a source of pride to be the creator of one of the most iconic horror moments of the 1990s. As Anton Ego says in that brilliant monologue at the end of Pixar’s Ratatouille, greatness really can come from anywhere.
